*rant*
Thread Starter
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 65
From: Vegas Baby
*rant*
Now I dont mean to go on a rant or anything but...
So I spend the last few days deciding to sell all my old firebird stuff in the garage and start putting together my custom turbo for my pro... i finally get all my list together of all the parts I need, i thought of everything.... turbo, IC, BOV, piping, fuel, brackets, couplers, connectors, air cooling, oil, etc... etc... and then I realize... bah! it's an automatic!... which isn't really impossible... but i was really shooting for 10psi of boost, for ~100whp gain... now i have my damn transmission to upgrade! from reading around, it doesn't look very promising (read: worth the time and money) to run this type of boost on a auto tranny.... and I really don't think running only 6 psi for ~50 hp, ~150 bhp total, is even worth the effort of installing and maintaining a turbo setup.... so... i'm ditching the "project", saving the money from the firebird parts, giving my wife the pro and trading my wife's Kia in for a trans am
So I spend the last few days deciding to sell all my old firebird stuff in the garage and start putting together my custom turbo for my pro... i finally get all my list together of all the parts I need, i thought of everything.... turbo, IC, BOV, piping, fuel, brackets, couplers, connectors, air cooling, oil, etc... etc... and then I realize... bah! it's an automatic!... which isn't really impossible... but i was really shooting for 10psi of boost, for ~100whp gain... now i have my damn transmission to upgrade! from reading around, it doesn't look very promising (read: worth the time and money) to run this type of boost on a auto tranny.... and I really don't think running only 6 psi for ~50 hp, ~150 bhp total, is even worth the effort of installing and maintaining a turbo setup.... so... i'm ditching the "project", saving the money from the firebird parts, giving my wife the pro and trading my wife's Kia in for a trans am
Last edited by Sbeast702; Dec 11, 2003 at 03:48 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 778
From: New Jersey
You dont have to go crazy on the turbo you know
Go for 50hp and dont even bother with an intercooler and all the other stuff. Save some cash.
50hp isnt that bad, youd be able to spank a speed.
You can run like 180hp I think, and then you could do some minor tranny mods like a shift kit and such.
Althought the transams with the gigantic engines do sound tempting. Mmmmmm... big. Are we talking about the ones form the 80's, here.
Go for 50hp and dont even bother with an intercooler and all the other stuff. Save some cash.
50hp isnt that bad, youd be able to spank a speed.
You can run like 180hp I think, and then you could do some minor tranny mods like a shift kit and such.
Althought the transams with the gigantic engines do sound tempting. Mmmmmm... big. Are we talking about the ones form the 80's, here.
What Kia are YOU thinking of?
The man behind the mask
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 11,572
From: Birmingham, AL
I'm not thinking of a quality KIA, I'm thinking of how horrible the Pontiacs are. Sure they are fast in a straight line, but they are horrible cars. They are uncomfortable, uninsureable, too expensive to keep gas in, not capable of carrying two passengers, and lastly....ugly. Did I also mention you can buy a new P5 for $13K NEW and drop on a $2500 turbo kit and be very fast? Maybe not WS6 fast in a straight line, but I'd love to see that race on a track!!
The man behind the mask
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 11,572
From: Birmingham, AL
sure, if all you care about is straight line speed.....they're great cars. Just not practicle, affordable, or unique. To each their own. I'd prefer a smaller engine with a good turbo/super that will smoke it in the corners. that's just me. I've had my share of V8's though. I love the turbo 4's the best.
Thread Starter
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 65
From: Vegas Baby
I've owned three pontiacs in my life, 2 firebirds and 1 trans am, all in the 1990's... and I have never experienced them to not be practicle, affordable or unique. Personally, I just love the curvy styling, the 4 comfortable bucket seats and the v8's... and the fact that you don't have to run 91+ octane just to make it go fast...
Last edited by Sbeast702; Dec 14, 2003 at 03:50 PM.
Thread Starter
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 65
From: Vegas Baby
Been talking with a friend... he mentioned, "Isn't there a more powerful version of the Pro in Japan?" Indeed there is... and aside from a converson to the FS-ZE, it's not a bad bang for the buck to add some of the parts to our 2.0L DE engines... ZE cam, intake manifold and pistons will run ~$1000, add a better flowing header, intake and catback for another $500 or so and poof... for about $1500 you've got around an additional 70hp, all engine, on low octane gas... nice...
This seems like a much better solution than a turbo setup for ~$3500 for the same numbers.
This seems like a much better solution than a turbo setup for ~$3500 for the same numbers.
formerly chastan
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,350
From: California, USA
I doubt that it'd be 50 horsepower.
I'd go for the WS6.
It's regurgitated over and over again that muscle cars are only good for straight line speed... I think those people don't know what a proper suspension setup on an f-body can do. People like to repeat what one person has said over and over again. It might not match an MSP in a slalom but I'd like to think it's plenty fun 
I'd go for the WS6.
It's regurgitated over and over again that muscle cars are only good for straight line speed... I think those people don't know what a proper suspension setup on an f-body can do. People like to repeat what one person has said over and over again. It might not match an MSP in a slalom but I'd like to think it's plenty fun
formerly chastan
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,350
From: California, USA
Originally posted by Roddimus Prime
I'm not thinking of a quality KIA, I'm thinking of how horrible the Pontiacs are. Sure they are fast in a straight line, but they are horrible cars. They are uncomfortable, uninsureable, too expensive to keep gas in, not capable of carrying two passengers, and lastly....ugly. Did I also mention you can buy a new P5 for $13K NEW and drop on a $2500 turbo kit and be very fast? Maybe not WS6 fast in a straight line, but I'd love to see that race on a track!!
I'm not thinking of a quality KIA, I'm thinking of how horrible the Pontiacs are. Sure they are fast in a straight line, but they are horrible cars. They are uncomfortable, uninsureable, too expensive to keep gas in, not capable of carrying two passengers, and lastly....ugly. Did I also mention you can buy a new P5 for $13K NEW and drop on a $2500 turbo kit and be very fast? Maybe not WS6 fast in a straight line, but I'd love to see that race on a track!!